Social significance of countering misinformation

Social significance of countering misinformation
Ibrahim Khalil Ahasan
The advancement of technology around the world and the widespread spread of social media have made our lives easier, and there has been a mobility in obtaining and spreading information. However, along with this convenience, a big challenge has also arisen - propaganda. Once the only source of information was newspapers, radio, or television, where information was provided through verification and selection. But now anyone can post any news or information on social media, which quickly reaches a large number of people. As a result, even if any information is not correct, it can cause confusion among a large number of people. Propaganda can affect our personal lives, family relationships, social bonds and even the entire society. Raising awareness to prevent propaganda is very important, because propaganda is never confined to a specific boundary. Once any false information or misleading news is spread, it does not only harm a specific group; rather, it has a negative impact on the entire society. It becomes difficult for the common people to understand which information is true and which is false. And that is why propaganda can easily cause tension, panic and conflict among people.
Propaganda is often spread intentionally to harm a specific section or group of society. For example, propaganda in the field of religion, race, or politics can easily create mental and mutual hatred. When propaganda is directed at a specific group, it creates division and intolerance in society. This increases communal conflict, religious division, or ethnic hatred. Due to such propaganda, peace in society is destroyed and social bonds are weakened. Apart from this, the negative impact of propaganda can also be seen at the personal level. Spreading false information or rumors about personal life on social media is now a common occurrence. Spreading false propaganda against a person has an adverse effect on his mental and social life. Many times, due to propaganda, personal life is disrupted and the victim is mentally damaged. As a result, not only is a person's personal life damaged, but also there is a lack of trust and confidence in society.
The most important thing to avoid the bad effects of propaganda is awareness. Even if an aware person is a victim of propaganda, he is not easily misled. One should develop the habit of verifying the truth of information. If the information is not true or cannot be verified, one should refrain from it. The help of various reliable sources or media can be taken to verify information. For example, if any information is first published on social media, it can be verified whether it was published in a reliable media. Education and awareness are the biggest tools in preventing propaganda.
(To be contd)